Names: Because of "the forced name-changing in Bulgaria in the late 1980's... already, many Bulgarian Gypsies cannot remember their own names" (p. 100, Bury Me Standing). This happens very often in my classes and in the neighborhood when the kindergarten teachers survey homes for next-year's new little students. The ministry sends the school a list of kindergarten-aged children born in the neighborhood (Bulgarian names, only), the teachers go to the home to enroll them, but that child "doesn't live there." It's simply a backlash of unnecessary confusion due to the two names most children have (an ethnic name and a Bulgarian name).
One of our best buddies' name is Nasko (Bulgarian), but his ethnic name is Gundi. Definitely makes life more interesting!
One of our best buddies' name is Nasko (Bulgarian), but his ethnic name is Gundi. Definitely makes life more interesting!
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